Right choises
by Lil-Fleck
Summary: The gaang is camping out after the war. Aang is stressed, Zuko has problems forgetting his ex and Katara is being ignored. Kataang, eventual Zukaang, Zuko/Aang whatever you call it. R&R :D
1. Valentine's Day

Okay guys, this is part one of my Zukaang story. If you don't like the pairing or shounen-ai, I suggest you don't read any further!

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar: the Last Airbender or the characters. And I'm not making money of this.

Enjoy!

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It was Valentine's Day. The only day of the whole year Aang couldn't enjoy. It wasn't because he didn't have any friends, because he had them. Lots of them to be precise. And it certainly wasn't because he didn't have a girlfriend, because he was dating Katara.

No, the reason he didn't like Valentine's Day was Zuko. The teen was sulking every time Aang saw him, and it really didn't help that Katara told him to just ignore Zuko. But ignoring him was harder that it may have seemed like. It wasn't like Zuko was a talk-active person who would constantly seek for attention, but the look in his eyes hounded Aang. He couldn't overlook it.

It was true that Zuko had been dumped by Mai, but it had happened a month ago. Apparently Mai had said something about being bored to death and just left without further warning. Zuko had been really depressed that time. It had taken a few weeks for him to pull himself together again, and Aang had hoped that everything would be alright after that. He really didn't want to see his friends suffering.

And now Zuko was wielding the same desperate look as he had a month ago. Nobody else seemed to notice it though. Aang sighed. '_This'll be a long day.._'

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

It was nearly nightfall when Aang returned to the camp. He had been collecting firewood for a few hours, and was extremely tired. Searching for firewood wasn't hard or exhausting, but he was thinking about stuff that he really didn't want to think of. Stuff like cleaning after the former fire nation. Or all the responsibilities that awaited him after the little trip of theirs ended.

Aang shrugged the thoughts away and slumped next to Katara. She was sitting in front of the campfire with Sokka, Suki and Toph.

"Hey" Aang greeted and watched the fire burn.

"Hey!" Sokka was the first to reply. "Took you pretty long to get the firewood. Did you get lost or something?" He was grinning to Aang who just sat there silent.

When no reply came, everyone fixed their eyes to Aang.

"Hey, are you okay? Did something happen..?" It was Katara's turn to speak as she squeezed his hand gently.

"Ah, no no. Everythings fine! I'm just a bit tired, that's all" he assured to Katara and smiled.

"Oh, ok"

As everyone continued their earlier chatter, something struk Aang.

"Um.. Where's Zuko?"

Sokka and Katara had the same unknowing expression. They looked at Suki, who just shrugged and looked equally confused.

"He's in his tent." It was Toph who opened her mouth. "He's been there for a few hours now. We tried to get him out to eat, but he said he wasn't hungry."

"Oh" was all Aang could think of.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

"Zuko? Are you in there?" Aang tugged nervously on his shirt as no one replied. The tent was completely silent. Not even a breath could be heard from inside.

Aang mustered all of his courage and stepped inside. The sight in front of him was unbelievable: Zuko was sleeping on the floor, with a pillow in his arms.

Aang didn't dare to move. He was taking a step back, when his foot got caught in something. Aang froze and turned to set his foot free. He hissed and struggled to free himself from the string that was only tangling more as he started to panic.

He landed on the floor not-so-gracefully, with a silent thud. Aang sighed and turned to face Zuko. He thought that the other boy was still sleeping, but was surprised to see a pair of confused amber eyes.

Zuko watched as Aang pulled himself from the floor to a sitting position. The younger boy was blushing slightly, which was understandable considering the situation.

"…"

"So, uh.. I- I was just wondering if you were okay.. Si- since you've been here for quite a while now." Aang stuttered and looked more embarrassed as he had just a moment ago.

Zuko stared the other boy before answering. "Oh. I'm fine."

Aang seemed to ponder the reply he was given. He had an unreadable expression on his face.

"Well, I don't think you're okay."

"Huh?"

"You seem so distant. Like something's really bugging you." He continued with a softer expression on "You know that you can tell me everything, right? I mean, that's what friends are for."

Zuko sighed before glancing at Aang. "Yeah, I know.. It's just.. That.. Umm.. It's something I have to deal with myself."

"Oh."

"And besides, it would ruin your day if you had to listen to my whining." Zuko laughed nervously.

Aang stared at him with a comforting smile on his face. "Don't worry about my day. It can't possibly get any worse." He laughed shortly before continuing. "Everyone seems so happy and carefree, but.. I just don't feel like that! The appointment with the Earth King is nearing, there's the annual Ba Sing Se Ball where I have to go in order to 'maintain strong relations to other kingdoms' or something like that and then there are all the help requests I get from all over the earth nation, and.. An-"

Aang was cut short by Zuko's hand. The other boy had pressed it firmly against Aang's lips and was now thinking of a good reply to all that blabbering.

"Sigh.. You should calm down."

Aang nodded and got his mouth free.

They talked about their problems: the Earth kingdom, rebuilding the four nations and Mai. Aang was surprised to hear her name, but didn't show it. He just patted Zuko's shoulder and motioned him to go on with his speech.

Zuko was thankful for the opportunity to talk. He trusted Aang and quite frankly liked his company. Aang had been the first one to trust him when he first tried to join their little gang. He had also been the one who had told him that everything was going to be alright, when the war had been at it's worst. And when the war had ended a few years ago, Aang had stayed by Zuko's side and helped him gain the trust of the Fire nation. That was something Zuko appreciated.

Being the new Fire Lord wasn't easy, but it helped to know that you had friends you could trust. Not only Aang, but the whole group had accepted him and become quite close to him. Although he still didn't talk much to Suki.

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

Aang yawned and stretched his arms. He had been hanging out with Zuko for the past few hours, and now it was almost midnight. He sneaked to the fireplace, but it was already extinguished. He looked around and spotted the one he had been looking for: Katara.

When Aang got closer, he could see Katara's pout. '_Ugh… She's pouting at me..?'_

His question got answered pretty quickly when Katara opened her mouth:

"Where have you been? I've been looking all over for you.. It's Valentine's Day and we haven't even spent any time together.."

She sounded hurt and Aang knew it was all his fault.

"I'm sorry. I've been hanging out with Zuko and didn't notice the time go by so quickly."

"Hmph. Fine. But don't wander off without telling me. I was really worried!"

"Sorry for that.."

"Sigh. It's ok. Just.. Don't do it again, alright?"

"I won't. I promise."

She smiled happily and hugged Aang. "Thanks" She sounded relieved.

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So that's the first chapter! I really would like to hear your opinions on this one, so R&R, please! But noooo flames


	2. Trip to town

Aang woke up cheerfully that morning. Talking with Zuko had calmed him down and now he was ready to face whatever obstacles there might be waiting for him.

Katara was also awake. She was making breakfast for everyone and was slightly surprised to see Aang wandering around the camp that early.

As Aang walked past Zuko's tent, he stopped briefly to ponder whether he should wake him up or let him sleep. Hearing a silent snore, he decided to let the other teen sleep. The whole meaning of the trip was to let them rest and take it easy for once.

Aang sighed heavily before continuing his walk. It was boring when Katara was making breakfast and no one else was awake.

Little birds were chirping on the tress and the sun was rising in the horizon. Aang bounced from branch to branch before reaching the top of the tallest tree. He enjoyed the view in front of him. It was rare for him to have time to just relax and watch the sun rise. He breathed in deeply and slowly let it out. It was a great feeling.

After a few hours, the camp was full of happy laughter, babbling and occasional snorts, which mainly came from Zuko. They were planning a trip to the nearest town, since they were running low on food supplies. Zuko wasn't too happy with the idea, but didn't protest when everyone else dragged him to Appa. The bison had had lots of rest and was eager to go flying again.

The flight wasn't long, merely only two hours, but it felt like an eternity. The sun was shining from a cloudless sky and almost burned everything its rays touched. It was wonderful to feel the gentle breezes that cooled the summer heat slightly. Aang gazed dreamily to the horizon, trying to spot the town. All he saw was endless grassland and rocks that stood out from their surroundings. He snapped back to reality when he heard Zuko's voice.

"I am not wearing that!"

"Oh come on, Zuko! It's for your own good!" Katara was waving some sort of cloth in her hand while arguing with Zuko.

"Do you even realize, how hot it's here? And you want me to wear some more clothes?"

"Zuko. We are going to an Earth Kingdom town. Even if the war is over, the people there might not be too happy to see the Fire Lord walking down the streets."

"I can take care of myself. Besides, Aang is with us. I'm pretty sure people won't be attacking the Avatar's company."

"Maybe, but it's only for your security. And, it wouldn't be the first time people are ignoring rhe Avatar's will. This one time, we ended up in a town wher-"

"Okay, okay. I wear that stupid thing"

Katara tossed the grey cloth to Zuko and looked satisfied. Aang couldn't help but snicker at the sight. It wasn't everyday Zuko was taking orders from anyone, especially from Katara. Even though the two of them got along, they weren't that keen on spending time together. Usually when they were left alone, an awkward silence fell between them, as neither of them had nothing to say.

"Hey, Katara! You wouldn't happen to have another one?"

The girl had a questioning look on her face.

"Uh, actually I have one. Why?"

"Well, I'd rather stay incognito than jump around the streets when people can recognize me."

Ever since the war had ended a few years ago, he had tried to hide himself from the public as good as he could. He didn't like it when people were running after him and trying to touch or at least see him. A few years earlier he might've even liked it, but not anymore. It was strange how things changed.

Aang took the grey cloth gratefully. He wrapped it around his shoulders and lifted the hood over his head. It covered him pretty well; only his knees and everything under them could be seen. He gazed again to the horizon and let his mind wander.

He thought about Katara. Her tribe had been very understanding when she had told that she wanted to go exploring the world a bit more. Sokka had taken the same opportunity and joined Aang and Katara once again. While Katara had helped rebuild her hometown, Aang had resided in the Earth Kingdom and helped people there. It had taken them four years to get where they were now.

Aang hummed to himself. He remembered the day he and Katara had started dating. It was the same day they began traveling together again. It hadn't been anything special. Sokka had dragged them to Suki's and they had met Toph on the way there. It was almost like old times. Except no one tried to kill them.

Zuko wasn't traveling with the gang. He was the new Fire Lord and had responsibilities he couldn't just abandon. Although he had ruled the Fire Nation for four years, everyone called him new. It was just the way it was.

Mentioning Zuko in his thoughts made Aang smile. The two of them had stayed close friends and Aang was very grateful for it. Zuko was a person he could trust and discuss everything with. He understood the pressure Aang felt and tried his best to comfort him. Of course Aang had also Katara, Sokka and Toph, but none of them really understood the responsibility nor the stress.

Someone poked Aang on the ribs. He turned his head to see Katara leaning against him. He blinked a few times before realizing that Katara was looking at him curiously.

"So what do you say?" She asked.

Aang blinked again. He hadn't even noticed Katara when she had sat beside him. And now she was waiting an answer from him?

"Uh.. About what?"

Katara sighed and started talking. Aang heard something about gowns and make-up, but his concentration faded when he caught a glimpse of Zuko's half-bare chest. He had strong looking muscles that flexed under his skin when he stretched his arms. Zuko's skin was slightly sweaty, probably because of the heat. Aang found himself staring and quickly tried to fix his attention back to Katara. The girl seemed to be annoyed.

Aang realized that he hadn't been listening to his girlfriend for the second time in a row.

"Oh, sorry Katara!" He said with his cheeks turning slightly red.

The girl huffed and mumbled something that sounded like "whatever" before turning her attention to Sokka.

They landed near the town, bought some rice, bread and water before settling to a café. The sun was still shining with all of its might, but the town was a bit cooler, thanks to all the shadows.

"So.. What's next?"

Toph said she needed a new dress for the Ba Sing Se's annual ball, Katara said something about new make-up and Suki nodded eagerly to both of them. Neither Aang or Zuko were happy with the ideas, so instead they just said they would meet the rest of them in two hours. Suki dragged Sokka with her and so they were left alone.

Aang sighed tiredly. "Why does this happen every time?"

Zuko just shrugged and slumped deeper to the chair he was sitting on.

"I mean like, every time we go shopping, Katara wants to see every store that has dresses or something similar."

"Hmm.. That seems to be the reaction of all the girls."

They watched as people passed by chatting and giggling. Some even gave them weird looks for wearing those gray robes.

Zuko was the first to break the silence between them.

"The Ball is in two weeks. I suppose you're going with Katara?"

"Yeah. I can't believe the ball is so near. I really wouldn't want to go there, but I guess that's one of those 'responsibilities', although it seems utterly useless."

"Hmm.. Maybe, but you're still lucky. I, too, have to go there, but I have no idea who I should ask to come with me. It doesn't give a good impression if you go there alone, you know."

They talked about the ball and laughed at Sokka, who had managed to spill water on the king last year. Two hours went by quickly and before they knew, they were back to camp with all the purchases.

"Aah! On solid ground, once again!"

They smiled at Toph's reaction and unpacked everything. Katara started cooking again and Sokka struggled to get the fire burning before the sun would set. Aang sat comfortably near the fire and chatted with Sokka and Suki.

"Food's ready!" Was all it took for Sokka to jump to his feet and drool after the meal. While laughing, Aang noticed that Zuko was still on his tent.

"I go get Zuko" He offered and turned towards Zuko's tent. He crossed the distance quickly and stepped inside, only to freeze to the spot. Zuko was topless, his back towards Aang.

Aang couldn't form any words. He just stared at Zuko's sleek form, broad shoulders and muscles that covered his arms and back.

"Oh, Aang. Sorry I did notice you. I was meditating."

Aang forced his stare to Zuko's face. '_Shit! What was I staring at? Zuko?' _He struggled to find words, and the fact that he could feel his cheeks heating wasn't helping a bit.

"Umm.. Yeah, the food's ready." He managed to stutter before leaving a puzzled looking Zuko behind him.

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A/N

Ok, so I guess the ages need a bit explaining. The war ended a few years ago, which means Aang would be about 15. I thought that Toph is also 15, Katara 17 (seriously, when watching the cartoon, Katara looks a few years older than Aang), Sokka 18 and Zuko turning 19. Old, I know. Hope it doesn't change the first chapter too much..


	3. Nightly conversations

**A/N: **Thanks for reading this story this far, and sorry for the delay. I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update this, but i try my best! Reviews inspire me writing more frequently :)

Disclaimer: I still own nothing :sadface:

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The evening had been a little awkward so to say. At least for Aang. Every time Zuko had said something to him, Aang had just blushed slightly and mumbled something in response. And that had made Zuko even more confused. Finally, when Aang had endured enough of the awkwardness, he wished everyone a good night and retreated to his own tent rather quickly.

Aang laid on his bed sheets and stared the tent cloth. He wasn't at all tired, but there was no way he would return to the campfire, where Zuko would be sitting and shooting puzzled looks to his way. He sighed deeply. '_Great. Not only am I loosing my mind, but also acting like a baby. Like seriously, I should be able to confront everything! That's what people need me for! I'm the freaking Avatar! And now I'm not able to face Zuko..? That's just great…_'

Aang's mental scolding was paused when he heard a familiar voice outside his tent.

"Aang, you in there? It's me, Zuko"

'_Oh man…_'

"Listen, we need to talk. Are you still awake?"

'_Pretend to be asleep, pretend to be asleep, pretend to be-_'

Suddenly the tent cloth rustled and Zuko stepped in. "I know you aren't sleeping yet. I couldn't hear you snoring. So, care to tell me what's been bothering you?" Zuko asked casually and sat down next to Aang.

"Umm.. I.. I don't know."

"You don't know what's been on your mind or whether to tell me?"

Aang was silent and pondered the question. It was then when he realized that he didn't know the answer. He wasn't sure what was disturbing him, and wasn't sure if he wanted to tell Zuko about it. Although not telling Zuko about it seemed a bit bizarre, he did tell Zuko a lot of things, after all.

Zuko sighed. "Look, Aang.. You don't have to tell me about it if you don't want to. But. If you do want to talk about it, you know you can always come to me, right?" With that, Zuko stood to leave.

"Well.. I'm not completely sure what's been distracting me lately.."

Zuko smiled and sat back down. "Is it about Katara? You two haven't really been spending much time together lately."

Aang blinked in surprise. He hadn't even thought about her. And truth be told, he was pretty sure that she wasn't the reason for his unease, but better talk about something than anything at all, right? And he really did like to talk to Zuko..

"Yeah, I quess you're right."

Zuko nodded in understanding and Aang couldn't help but admire Zuko's black hair that dropped over his left eye. As Zuko's pale hand stroked it away, Aang caught himself staring again. He groaned in irritation and mentally scolded himself again.

"Huh? What's wrong?"

"Uh, nothing. Guess I'm just tired. It's been a long day."

"Yeah. Remind me of not going shopping with girls again."

Aang chuckled and poked Zuko on the ribs playfully. At that, Zuko couldn't help but laugh too. They hadn't laughed like that in a while, and in the end it was more about relieving the strain between them than remembering what had been so funny in the first place.

When they stopped laughing, they were both out of breath and glad for the comfortable silence that had fallen between them. Neither of them wanted it to end, but in the end Zuko opened his mouth hesitantly.

"… I should probably be going then…"

Without thinking, Aang grabbed his arm and pulled him back down. "Don't go yet. I still want to talk to you."

"Okay. So, what do you want to talk to me about?"

Aang was left without words, until he regained his composure again. "I actually don't know. But I still want to talk to you! We haven't seen in a year or so, until we planned this trip.." He lowered his gaze and unconsciously tightened the grip on Zuko's arm, which he didn't realize he still had. It wasn't easy for him to admit it, but he didn't know much about the other man. Not anymore. They still shared this connection, this understanding of some sorts that had developed during the war and had only become stronger over the years. But the war had changed them both. Aang had realized his responsibility and that had overruled his once so bubbly personality. He was still the same Aang they all knew, but the carefree, relaxed side of him was buried somewhere deep inside him.

Zuko watched carefully as Aang struggled with emotions he knew all too well. The burden of responsibility, fear of failure and uncertainty. And in that specific moment, the younger boy looked years older than what he really was. It was a bit awkward for Zuko, but still he wrapped his arms protectively around the other teen. He wasn't used to it, but when it came to Aang, Zuko couldn't just stand back. He rubbed the smaller boy's back soothingly, while the boy in question clung to his shirt. Neither of them spoke. They didn't dare to break the silence, fearing that something bad would happen if they did.

Aang felt really drowsy. The shopping trip and emotional stress he had been through had exhausted him completely. He was aware of that he was still leaning onto Zuko's chest, the man's arms around him, but he didn't care. In that moment, he just wished that someone would hold him together for he was too tired to do it himself.

As Aang slept soundlessly in Zuko's arms, the man was left in a quite tricky situation. Obviously he couldn't leave Aang alone, but wasn't this supposed to be a situation for Katara to handle? She was his girlfriend for Agni's sake! And the fact that even though Aang was sleeping, he clutched Zuko's shirt as if his life would depend on it. He wasn't even sure how it was possible, but in these days nothing was too unusual, it seemed. He watched Aang's peaceful form. Even when the boy was sleeping, there was a hint of worry covering his features. That was something Zuko didn't like, at all. The boy was only 15! Okay, he was nearing his 16th birthday, but the so called responsibility was too much for the boy! Didn't people understand that the Avatar was only an over-stressed teen? Not an adult, but an under-aged teen! He knew exactly, or at least almost, how Aang felt. He had been crowned the Fire Lord when he was only 15. Before that he had had to endure the hate of his family, although his uncle Iroh had been an exception. He had had to oppose a whole fire nation and his own family. In that time, he had been utterly alone.

Then everything had changed. Not in one night, but slowly and steadily. He had joined the gaang. Aang had helped him overcome his issues and had been there for him whenever he needed support or a reminder what was right and what was wrong. He had helped him through some really tough times. Aang had been there for him even when Mai had left him.

As memories swirled through Zuko's mind, he realized something: Under any circumstances, he couldn't leave Aang alone with his problems. Even though he had no idea what he could do to help Aang, he would be there for him. Zuko tightened his hold of Aang and felt the other boy nuzzling closer to his chest. He had a blissful feelind bubbling inside him, that he wasn't certain he would want to analyze just yet, so he just overlooked it and took a more comfortable position before ignoring everything else around him.

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So, remember to review, it makes the author happy! :D And if you find any errors in my text, I'd be glad to hear about them.


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